Cold War West

Kelvedon Hatch, just outside London, was one of Britain's top secrets during the Cold War. Built in the 1950s into the hillside, this colossal underground bunker was to house more than 600 people and to keep them going for up to 3 months – had Britain come under a nuclear attack from Moscow.

The Royal Air Force was to control from here its response to a nuclear attack. It was also to become the Headquarters of an emergency Central British Government, including the Prime Minister's office.

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Velislav Radev grew up in Bulgaria and graduated from university in Sofia. In 1985 he emigrated from the country and lived as a refugee in Yugoslavia and Sweden. He continued his studies at Uppsala University, before joining in 1988 the BBC, where he worked for 20 years as a reporter and producer. He covered the Yugoslav wars and travelled widely across the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Western Europe, usually always finding time for a few snaps with his camera, preferably on film.

Veli worked for BBC News in its Moscow Bureau and was Deputy Head of the BBC Russian Service.

After leaving the BBC he launched MyCentury.tv and returns every so often to his native Bulgaria.